Greetings All –
YOUR ROLE IN THE WORLD IS TOO IMPORTANT TO NEGLECT. Therefore,
do not neglect it this day. Carry forth the resolution that yesterday’s Review
has given to you. Carry forth that which you need to do to deepen your
practice, to utilize your practice, to utilize your experience in the world for
practice, to carry your practice into the world and to allow your world to
support your practice. Do not neglect this, for if you neglect this, you but
neglect yourself, your certainty, your fulfillment and your happiness.
DO NOT NEGLECT THE PREPARATION that is underway now.
Every day you strengthen this, and as you do this every day you advocate Knowledge.
You advocate your participation in life. Indeed, even in your preparation now
you are teaching Knowledge, and you are strengthening Knowledge in the world.
Perhaps you cannot yet see this, but in time this will become so evident to you
that you will learn to value every moment, every encounter with another, every
thought and every breath. You will value every experience in life because you will
be present to them, and you will realize that within each, you can express
Knowledge and experience Knowledge expressing itself.
REMEMBER UPON THE HOUR TODAY. Make this dedication,
at the beginning of today and at the beginning of all the days to follow, to utilize
your steps as completely as possible. In your two deeper practice periods,
re-enter stillness to refresh your mind. Strengthen your ability and your
resolution to allow your mind to become still and receptive. This you must
fortify each day, for this is part of your practice. This you must give
yourself to each day, for this is how you give to yourself and to the world.
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR ROLE,
but do not burden yourself with thinking that your role is beyond your grasp, for
what could be more natural to you than to fulfill the role for which you have
come? What could be more fully confirming of the importance and the value of
your life than to carry forth what your life was meant to be? The power of
decision is given you today to strengthen and to apply, yet the Greater Power
behind your decision is greater even than your decision.This Greater Power
abides with you now. Do not neglect your preparation. Do not neglect to move towards
the completion and the fulfillment of your role in the world, for as you
approach this, happiness will approach you.
PRACTICE 323: Two 30-minute practice periods. Hourly
practice.
Yesterday: Step 322 -
Review
“Govern thyself!” Perhaps the executive summary of this training. There is more to it,
but the challenge is to get the body to serve the mind and the mind to serve
the Spirit. That is not enlightenment or Nirvana, just the beginning of
effectiveness. Where does one need to be “effective?” That will be a bit later,
depending upon the progress of others and the environments, mental and physical.
This long review led to a long entry in the journal.
I you take the time to read it, you might get a laugh here and there:
8:16
a.m. Saturday, June 3, 2000 – Writing now on the PC – View 2100. I woke up
funky – depressed by the situation at work. It gets worse, yet I must produce
for the region to keep it afloat.
I
feel that I'm deep in confusion and ambivalence – don't want to exercise using
the breath.
I
considered writing an obit, but death isn't enough to get rid of this pain – I
need complete annihilation.
I
tried to watch Mindwalk
last night – kept falling asleep.
8:37
a.m. If I am going to contribute the ideas and perspectives I am being shown,
that I must write to publish; I must speak to be heard; I must communicate – community.
I
self distract. My internal guidance was not to write a book until I found an
area which wasn't covered – with regional cooperation – I’ve found it.
My
great, great fear is that it will not sustain me.
Region
Meister
Fear,
absolute dread – indolence – Grandiosity – lack of stamina –
Navel
self contemplation, lack of audience/clients.
I
have not compiled a business plan – I know the pieces, the products – that
would put it together.
30
years as a regional community – Boundaries need not match perfectly in order
for there to be synergy –
Title
– Regional Community Planner –
American
Public Planning Association
"Serving
the needs of the public sector."
– I
don't see everything, but I see a lot. Does APA have anything devoted to
regional planning?
>
Greatest challenge is plan integration.
9
a.m. Step 322 – Review. text "Recognize how you still let the world
overtake you…" This is exactly what I'm dealing with. Crushed by the
uglies. Prone than to self distraction.
As I
mowed the lawn last night, thinking of places where I could move – I heard
"You're not going anywhere – except to travel." This remains home
base.
10:15
p.m. Beginning the long practice –
–
309 – How can 6 billion become one community? [Now 7 billion – 14 years later]
---
All
war, conflict, violence – is an attempt to remain separate. Establishing
dominance is a way to be separate and above – but the last shall be first and
the first/last.
Has
that happened to me? Did I seek to dominate? No – but that’s how it was
perceived.
Step
309 – text para. 5 “Regardless of how the world will proceed in its preparation
and its difficulties it must accomplish this one goal. [para (1) The world you
see is attempting to become one community, for all worlds where intelligent
life has evolved must become one community!] Thus you can proceed with
certainty.”
–
With this I can easily agree. I will continue my “regional intelligence on a
local planet” with certainty.
Physics/chemistry
of atoms shows that the basic building blocks of the physical are mostly
nothing. The question is how can we build a better something with nothing?
11:03
a.m. Review is slow. It takes me deep into the issues of life on earth.
–
11:17 – the world is saved by being connected – the new heaven and new earth is
when earth’s people become one community (new earth) in the greater community
(new heaven)
–
The prospects for physicality continue are high.
310
– “I am free because I desired to give.” A challenge still.
Because
I have a desire to give, and am learning to give – S2K – (ACI M previously/plus
my own life) – I am, will remain, and become more free? ! – This appears to be
the lesson.
311
– “The world is calling me. I must prepare to serve it.” May 23rd – many
questions about the past, the situation today. I will continue to prepare and
seek to self perpetuate. What else is there? What inspires? The earth itself?
312
“There are greater problems for me to solve in the world.” My list of the
big/small problems is accurate.
How
can I take negative/apathetic feedback as positive? I forgive those who err in
against me/my purpose.
313
“Let me recognize that what is complex is simple.” – text “…using your personal
beliefs to organize the universe according to your liking.” Is what leads to
thinking my personal problems are complex.
My
personal problems seem to exist because I am not what others want me to be in
situations.
→ God – must be
male in order to grant true forgiveness – female cannot truly forgive because
female never forgets?
---
I
not sure which personal beliefs that I now have are not serving me, other than
the food/exercise in the lndolance. (Which reminds me I’ve not had ice cream
after lunch.)
314
– “I will not be afraid to follow today.”
Do I
love and accept myself? – Grudgingly. What else is there? Text says: “Merely
accept what you are and utilize it for good.”
“How
can you love, except and receive yourself? By being a student of Knowledge,…”
– I’ve
accepted spirit before, Holy Spirit – Knowledge – yet ambivalence &
confusion return. Ego fears.
–
Knowledge is “on scene” – those things to which Jesus directed attention.
315
– “Today I will not be alone.” – Did not quite get that lesson –
316
– 5/28 “I will trust my deepest inclinations today,”
–
May 28 – a day of self trust, yet I did not trust the inclination to invest.
What is the barrier? That was also May 21
317
– 5/29 “I need but relinquish my ambivalence to know the truth.” May 29 – a
difficult – ambivalent day – no wonder I dropped the follow through on
investment.
318
– 6/30 “there is a greater power at work in the world.”
5:20
p.m. At patience to complete the review. It has been taking time. Working
Office 2000 for my tiny career. Products – not services. How can I get a
product?
318
– “Look w/o judgment.” 6/30 ended the day saying I didn’t have the energy.
319
6/31 “Why should I be afraid when a greater power is in the world?”
–
Fear and wealth/money/stock market/sustainability/future – Two years ago I
wasn’t afraid. I’ve been afraid for a long time.
My
ancient home is with me – like the shell of the turtle T–om Turtle Home
Yes
– I made it through this day
320
– 6/1 “I am free to work in the world.” Text: ambivalence is caused
by my own intimidation and fear of the world.
Lesson
– “you are becoming free to be in the world.” – up late
321
– The world is awaiting my contribution.
Friday
– lesson 321 – ended in funky fear/self disappointment. I didn’t do practice
#2. I could do that now? Do it @ Su-ne?
Today,
Saturday has been more productive. As a student, for the two week period – C+ –
some good days, but others washed with ambivalence. – PDC – ups & downs –
yet – progress is forward.
→ I’ve yet to
accept myself unconditionally.
→ I’m still
shaken by ambivalence.
→ I know these
positive states – have trouble staying there.
So –
S2K – more practice is required I will get it fully with practice – as I’ve
done before – and not lose it.
Amen
& Amen
T-om Su-ne
9:45
p.m. Tired. Early to bed… Early to rise. That works better. I didn’t think the
hike took that much energy. Ate chocolate ice cream, too much of course, and
was feeling ambivalent. – but there was fatigue.
I’ve
got to set in place systems that will help generate content/product for me in
order to support my mission.
Your review was, no doubt, was equally rich in
challenges. Lots
to digest, if one has the time. Let us continue.
NNC
P.S. At Step 323, we are 42 Steps from the end –
Step 365. This is not the place to begin this Practice. If you’ve some interest
due to this or other Steps, you should go to the beginning blog post. From here you will learn about Steps to Knowledge
and can begin it on the day that makes sense; then progress as needed. You can
use the posts on this blog as a companion if it helps. They will remain in
order in the archives - one post per Step.
Often it takes 18 months to get through the Steps
once. For this blog, the pace is one-a-day, but it really makes no difference
how fast you do it, only that you begin, persist and repeat. Posts here provide
a trail that may let you have a virtual companion when and if you want one. One
may have to study alone, as I did in the beginning. There are other Steps
students blogging their experience and you might find a person more like you as
a companion, or use a number of such Steps journeys. There are options as well
through the Free School of the New Message.
